Bradenton Gulf Islands Travel Journal

U-17 WNT HEADS TO LAKEWOOD RANCH, FLA. FOR 40-PLAYER CAMP

Thursday, May 11th 2017

CHICAGO (May 11, 2017) – The U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team will head to Lakewood Ranch, Fla. as head coach Mark Carr will run a large 40-player camp from May 14-21.
The USA is coming off a victorious run at the 2nd Torneo Femminile Delle Nazioni in Italy and Slovenia where it beat Italy 6-0 in the championship game. Sixteen players from the roster that captured that tournament title a…

Premier Sports Campus becomes major economic driver for region

Thursday, April 6th 2017

Unless you consider watermelon farming a sport, the 145 acres that comprise Premier Sports Campus never hosted a sporting event before 2011.
That makes the 200,000 people who will use the facility in 2017 – and their economic impact on the Bradenton-Sarasota area – all the more impressive.
When Antonio Saviano joined Premier Sports Campus as director of sports in 2013, the “sea of g…

Sporting events in Sarasota County generating big bucks

Tuesday, February 14th 2017

SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. -- Sarasota County is seeing a lot of green when it comes to sporting events. These events generated an economic impact of more than $178,000,000 in 2016, that's a 23% increase compared to the year before.
"Of course we use the beach as a primary factor when telling people about our area as to why they should bring their event here," said Rob Wells, Director for the Saras…

New cycle begins for Thunder by the Bay; Event may have found permanent home in Lakewood Ranch

Wednesday, January 11th 2017

Singer Bobby Friss walked to the front of the stage and screamed at the crowd in his best rock-star voice.
"How are you doing, Sarasota!"
Only Friss, the front man for the Bobby Friss Band, was playing Jan. 8 in the Thunder by the Bay event at the Premier Sports Campus at Lakewood Ranch.
For the 18 previous years, the Suncoast Charities for Children held its Thunder by the Bay event in Sa…

PLAYER, COACH AND REFEREE DEVELOPMENT MAXIMIZED AT 2016 WINTER SHOWCASE

Monday, January 9th 2017

In conjunction with the Nike International Friendlies, the 2016 Development Academy Winter Showcase proved to be another landmark event in U.S. Soccer’s mission to develop world class players, coaches and referees. The combined event, which drew in over 20,500 spectators, 400 scouts and 40 U.S. Soccer technical staff members, allowed for the three major development areas to blend together in a s…

Thunder by the Bay fest opens with a blast

Thursday, January 5th 2017

The 19th edition of Thunder by the Bay got underway Thursday with the blast of a shotgun at Ancient Oak Gun Club.
Sixteen teams of four members gathered for the annual motorcycle festival’s opening event, a sporting clays tournament.
Attendance is expected to spike this weekend as the fest, one of the larger biker events in Florida, hits its stride with the Rockin’ and Ridin’ at the Ran…

Team USA celebrates NIKE International Friendlies victory with Mannequin Challenge

Monday, December 5th 2016

Two marquee events wrapped up over the weekend, while the winter high school sports season picks up steam.
Whether it’s the Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships or the NIKE International Friendlies, we’ve got it covered.
There’s also some high school digits to break down.
So kick back, relax and enjoy this week’s Numbers Game to satiate your statistical appetite:
5…

LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. (Dec. 4, 2016) – Goals from Ayo Akinola, Josh Sargent and Timothy Weah led the U.S Under-17 Men’s National Team to a 3-0 victory against Brazil, clinching the 2016 Nike International Friendlies title on Sunday night at Premier Sports Campus. The championship marks the U-17 MNT’s third Nike International Friendlies title since 2010 and first since 2013.
After two import…

LWR to Host 2016 Nike International Friendlies During Development Academy Winter Showcase

Wednesday, November 30th 2016

The 2016 Nike International Friendlies and Development Academy Winter Showcase will be held from Nov. 30 to Dec. 5 at the Premier Sports Campus (PSC) in Lakewood Ranch.
Throughout this 14th edition of the Nike Friendlies, the U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team will take on their counterparts from Brazil, Portugal and Turkey. The U-17 MNT and its opponents will consist of players born in the year …